Body support articles comprising viscoelastic foams and pyrethroids and/or support members and pyrethroids

ABSTRACT

A body support article, wherein the body support article comprises a top face, a bottom face opposed to the top face, a left side face, a right side face opposed to the left side face, a head side face, and a foot side face opposed to the head side face, the body support article comprising a viscoelastic foam layer; and a pyrethroid, wherein the pyrethroid is disposed in a first zone of the body support article, wherein the first zone consists of a volume of the body support article having an upper first zonal face. Methods of making body support articles comprising a pyrethroid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

Generally, the present disclosure relates to body support articles, suchas mattresses, and, more specifically, to body support devicescomprising viscoelastic foams and pyrethroids.

Description of the Related Art

Insects that thrive on materials that come into contact with humans,such as beds and bedding, can cause a number of health problems. Bedbugs, bed-bugs, or bedbugs are parasitic insects of the cimicid familythat feed exclusively on blood. Cimex lectularius, the common bedbug, isthe best known, as it prefers to feed on human blood. The name “bedbug”derives from the preferred habitat of Cimex lectularius: warm houses,especially near or inside beds and bedding or other sleep areas. Bedbugsare mainly active at night, but are not exclusively nocturnal. Theyusually feed on their hosts without being noticed.

A number of adverse health effects may result from bedbug bites,including skin rashes, psychological effects, and allergic symptoms.They are not known to transmit any pathogens as disease vectors. Certainsigns and symptoms suggest the presence of bedbugs; finding the insectsconfirms the diagnosis.

Bedbugs have been known as human parasites for thousands of years. At apoint in the early 1940s, they were mostly eradicated in the developedworld, but have increased in prevalence since 1995, likely due topesticide resistance, governmental bans on effective pesticides, andgreater ease of travel from underdeveloped countries. Becauseinfestation of human habitats has been on the increase, bedbug bites andrelated conditions have been on the rise as well.

As suggested above, mattresses and other body support articles, e.g.,mattress toppers, pillows, and cushions, may provide a habitat for Cimexspecies, particularly but not exclusively Cimex lenticularis.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide body support articles thatresist, repel, control, or eliminate bedbugs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosure in orderto provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. Thissummary is not an exhaustive overview of the disclosure. It is notintended to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure or todelineate the scope of the disclosure. Its sole purpose is to presentsome concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detaileddescription that is discussed later.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a body supportarticle, wherein the body support article comprises a top face, a bottomface opposed to the top face, a left side face, a right side faceopposed to the left side face, a head side face, and a foot side faceopposed to the head side face, the body support article comprising aviscoelastic foam layer; and a pyrethroid, wherein the pyrethroid isdisposed in a first zone of the body support article, wherein the firstzone consists of a volume of the body support article having an upperfirst zonal face.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a method,comprising: combining at least one polyol and a pyrethroid, to yield afirst zone precursor composition; foaming the first zone precursorcomposition with at least one isocyanate, to form a first zonecomprising a viscoelastic foam and the pyrethroid, and forming a bodysupport article comprising the first zone, wherein the body supportarticle comprises a top face, a bottom face opposed to the top face, aleft side face, a right side face opposed to the left side face, a headside face, and a foot side face opposed to the head side face.

In another embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to an article,such as a mattress or pillow, that includes viscoelastic foam thatcomprises a pyrethroid. The viscoelastic foam comprising the pyrethroidmay form one or more zones of the article.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a system,comprising a processing controller configured to control a body supportarticle manufacturing system; and the body support article manufacturingsystem, wherein the body support article manufacturing system isconfigured to: combine at least one polyol and a pyrethroid, to yield afirst zone precursor composition; foam the first zone precursorcomposition with at least one isocyanate, to form a first zonecomprising a viscoelastic foam and the pyrethroid, and form a bodysupport article comprising the first zone, wherein the body supportarticle comprises a top face, a bottom face opposed to the top face, aleft side face, a right side face opposed to the left side face, a headside face, and a foot side face opposed to the head side face.

The present disclosure may provide for body support articles thatresist, repel, control, or eliminate bedbugs. Though not to be bound bytheory, such anti-bedbug properties may be imparted by the pyrethroidcontained within the body support article.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure may be understood by reference to the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:

FIG. 1A depicts a stylized top view of a body support article, inaccordance with embodiments herein.

FIG. 1B depicts a stylized left side view of a body support article, inaccordance with embodiments herein.

FIG. 1C depicts a stylized head side view of a body support article, inaccordance with embodiments herein.

FIG. 2A depicts a stylized left side view of a first body supportarticle comprising a pyrethroid disposed in a first zone thereof, inaccordance with embodiments herein.

FIG. 2B depicts a stylized left side view of a body support articlecomprising a pyrethroid disposed in an alternative first zone thereof,in accordance with embodiments herein.

FIG. 3 depicts a stylized left side view of a second body supportarticle comprising a pyrethroid disposed in a first zone thereof, inaccordance with embodiments herein.

FIG. 4 depicts a stylized left side view of a third body support articlecomprising a pyrethroid disposed in a first zone thereof, wherein thevolume of the first zone is coincident with the volume of a mattresstopper, in accordance with embodiments herein.

FIG. 5A depicts a stylized left side view of a fourth body supportarticle comprising a pyrethroid in both a first zone and a second zone,in accordance with embodiments herein.

FIG. 5B depicts a stylized bottom view of the fourth body supportarticle comprising a pyrethroid in both a first zone and a second zone,in accordance with embodiments herein.

FIG. 6 presents a flowchart of a method, in accordance with embodimentsherein.

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of a system, in accordance withembodiments herein.

FIG. 8 depicts a stylized left side view of a fifth body support articlecomprising a pyrethroid, in accordance with embodiments herein.

For the avoidance of doubt, and in accordance with practice before theUnited States Patent and Trademark Office, none of the present figuresare to scale.

While the subject matter disclosed herein is susceptible to variousmodifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof havebeen shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described indetail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein ofspecific embodiments is not intended to limit the disclosure to theparticular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is tocover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling withinthe spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appendedclaims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various illustrative embodiments of the disclosure are described below.In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementationare described in this specification. It will, of course, be appreciatedthat, in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerousimplementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve thedevelopers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related andbusiness-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation toanother. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effortmight be complex and time-consuming but would be a routine undertakingfor those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of thisdisclosure.

The present subject matter will now be described with reference to theattached figures. Various structures, systems and devices areconceptually depicted in the drawings for purposes of explanation onlyand to not obscure the present disclosure with details that are wellknown to those skilled in the art. Nevertheless, the attached drawingsare included to describe and explain illustrative examples of thepresent disclosure. The words and phrases used herein should beunderstood and interpreted to have a meaning consistent with theunderstanding of those words and phrases by those skilled in therelevant art. No special definition of a term or phrase, i.e., adefinition that is different from the ordinary and customary meaning asunderstood by those skilled in the art, is intended to be implied byconsistent usage of the term or phrase herein. To the extent that a termor phrase is intended to have a special meaning, i.e., a meaning otherthan that understood by skilled artisans, such a special definition willbe expressly set forth in the specification in a definitional mannerthat directly and unequivocally provides the special definition for theterm or phrase.

The use of the words “a” or “an” when referring to an element of thepresent disclosure does not limit the disclosure to only one instance ofthat element being present. For example, if the disclosure refers to abody support article as comprising “a viscoelastic foam layer” or “apyrethroid,” the body support article may include more than oneviscoelastic foam layer, more than one pyrethroid, or both.

Embodiments herein may provide body support articles, such as mattressescontaining a viscoelastic foam layer, that resist, repel, control, oreliminate certain insects, such as bedbugs.

Embodiments herein also may be directed to a method of combining atleast one polyol and a pyrethroid, to yield a first zone precursorcomposition; foaming the first zone precursor composition with at leastone isocyanate, to form a first zone comprising a viscoelastic foam andthe pyrethroid, and forming a body support article comprising the firstzone, wherein the body support article comprises a top face, a bottomface opposed to the top face, a left side face, a right side faceopposed to the left side face, a head side face, and a foot side faceopposed to the head side face.

Embodiments herein may also be directed to a directed to a system,comprising a processing controller configured to control a body supportarticle manufacturing system; and the body support article manufacturingsystem, wherein the body support article manufacturing system isconfigured to: combine at least one polyol and a pyrethroid, to yield afirst zone precursor composition; foam the first zone precursorcomposition with at least one isocyanate, to form a first zonecomprising a viscoelastic foam and the pyrethroid, and form a bodysupport article comprising the first zone, wherein the body supportarticle comprises a top face, a bottom face opposed to the top face, aleft side face, a right side face opposed to the left side face, a headside face, and a foot side face opposed to the head side face.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a body supportarticle, wherein the body support article comprises a top face, a bottomface opposed to the top face, a left side face, a right side faceopposed to the left side face, a head side face, and a foot side faceopposed to the head side face, the body support article comprising aviscoelastic foam layer; and a pyrethroid, wherein the pyrethroid isdisposed in a first zone of the body support article, wherein the firstzone consists of a volume of the body support article having an upperfirst zonal face.

In some embodiments, the upper first zonal face may be coincident withthe top face of the body support article.

Viscoelastic foams, and layers of body support articles formedtherefrom, are known in the art. Typically, they comprise polyurethanesgenerated by polymerizing one or more polyols with one or moreisocyanates, as is known to the person of ordinary skill in the art.Viscoelastic foams may be produced from a variety of starting materialsunder a variety of process conditions, to yield viscoelastic foamshaving a variety of properties. In one embodiment, the viscoelastic foamlayer comprises an open-celled non-reticulated viscoelastic foam(sometimes referred to as “memory foam” or “low resilience foam”).

In one embodiment, the viscoelastic foam layer may have a density fromabout 10 kg/m³ to about 250 kg/m³, such as from about 50 kg/m³ to about120 kg/m³. In an even more particular embodiment, the viscoelastic foamlayer may have a density of about 80-85 kg/m³. Alternatively or inaddition, the viscoelastic foam layer may have a hardness from about 5 Nto about 20 N, such as a hardness of about 10 N.

In one embodiment, the viscoelastic foam layer may comprise from about15 weight parts to about 75 weight parts toluene diisocyanate (TDI)residues per 100 weight parts polyol residues; the viscoelastic foamlayer has an irregular cell structure; and/or the viscoelastic foamlayer has a density less than or equal to 2 pounds/cubic foot (0.032g/cm³), an air flow greater than or equal to 2.5 CFM, a recovery timegreater than or equal to 4 seconds, an indentation force deflection(IFD) less than or equal to 10 pounds/square foot (478.8 Pa), and aheight loss less than or equal to 10% after prolonged compression of 90%of an original height. Viscoelastic foams of these exemplary embodimentsare described in more detail in a provisional application, U.S.63/104,835, filed Oct. 23, 2020, entitled “Low-Density ViscoelasticFoams, Body Support Articles Comprising Same, And Methods for MakingSame,” assigned to Sinomax USA, Inc and incorporated herein byreference.

In embodiments, in addition to a viscoelastic foam layer, a body supportarticle may comprise one or more non-viscoelastic foam layers, such asnon-viscoelastic polyurethanes, traditional mattress layers comprisingmechanical support elements, e.g., springs encased in a fabric and/orsurrounded by a foam, etc. Numerous variations in the number, type, andarrangement of layers to be included in a body support article may beeffected as a routine matter by the person of ordinary skill in the arthaving the benefit of the present disclosure. The other layer(s) and theviscoelastic foam layer may be bonded together by any suitable adhesive.The other layer(s) and the viscoelastic foam layer may be assembledusing any process and/or equipment known in the art.

In embodiments, the viscoelastic foam layer and/or one or more otherlayers of a body support article may comprise one or more channelspermitting airflow through the layer, providing increased cooling to auser of the body support article. Alternatively or in addition, theviscoelastic foam layer and/or one or more other layers of a bodysupport article may comprise one or more support elements, such astubular foam springs, memory foam springs, mechanical springs, foamspheres, foam hemispheres, air bladders, water bladders, etc., providingincreased support to the user of the body support article. In particularembodiments, the viscoelastic foam layer and/or one or more other layersof a body support article may comprise one or more channels, wherein atleast one channel contains one or more support elements. Suchembodiments include, but are not limited to, those disclosed in U.S.patent application Ser. Nos. 16/257,806; 16/746,481; 16/752,293;16/693,091; and Ser. No. 16/693,133; all of which are herebyincorporated by reference.

A pyrethroid, as used herein, is a compound comprising a chrysanthemicacid moiety. The (+)-trans form of chrysanthemic acid is as follows:

An exemplary pyrethroid, permethrin ((±)-3-Phenoxybenzyl3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate), has theformula:

In one embodiment, the pyrethroid is selected from the group consistingof allethrin; bifenthrin; cyfluthrin; cypermethrin; cyphenothrin;deltamethrin; esfenvalerate; etofenprox; fenpropathrin; fenvalerate;flucythrinate; flumethrin; imiprothrin; λ-cyhalothrin; metofluthrin;permethrin; prallethrin; resmethrin; silafluofen; sumithrin;T-fluvalinate; tefluthrin; tetramethrin; tralomethrin; andtransfluthrin.

In accordance with the present disclosure, the pyrethroid is not merelydeposited on the body support article, such as by spraying, dipping, orapplying an aerosol of a solution comprising the pyrethroid in aparticular solvent. Rather, the pyrethroid is incorporated into at leasta first zone of the body support article during manufacturing thereof,as will be described in more detail below.

The pyrethroid may be incorporated into the body support article alone,with the aid of a emulsifying agent, as part of an extendedrelease-formulation (e.g., by inclusion of the pyrethroid in aslowly-degradable particle, such as a polylactic acid (PLA) particle, apolyglycolic acid (PGA) particle, or a particle comprising a mixture ofPLA and PGA, among other possibilities), or in other forms, all of whichwill be apparent to the person of ordinary skill in the art having thebenefit of the present disclosure

The incorporation of a pyrethroid into the body support article duringmanufacturing, instead of by a user of the body support article, reducesthe need for users to purchase and use compositions comprising thepyrethroid, reduces the risk of pyrethroid misuse or accident harmingdomestic cats or fish, reduces the risk of pyrethroid release into theenvironment and harm to wildlife, and allows economies of scale, therebypotentially lowering costs to consumers.

In embodiments, a body support article may further comprise a secondaryinsecticide, such as a secondary insecticide selected from the groupconsisting of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), chlorfenapyr, imidacloprid,fipronil, indoxacarb, abamectin, hydroprene, benzyl benzoate,ivermectin, antibiotic miticides, carbamate miticides, formamidinemiticides, organochlorine, organophosphate miticides, diatomaceousearth, and dicofol. Although the term “insecticide” is literallyfunctional, in practice, the person of ordinary skill in the art willunderstand that the term refers to compounds having particular, thoughvaried, structures that repel, control, or eliminate insects.

The secondary insecticide may be desirable to provide an additionalinsecticidal function. The secondary insecticide may be disposed in thesame zone(s) of the body support article as the pyrethroid or indifferent zone(s).

Body support articles refer to articles intended to bear at least aportion of the weight of at least a portion of a human or animal body,thereby providing comfort to the human or animal. In one embodiment, thebody support article is a mattress, a mattress topper, a pillow, or acushion. Exemplary body support articles will be described withreference to FIG. 1A through FIG. 5B.

Turning to FIG. 1A, a stylized top view of a mattress 100, in accordancewith embodiments herein, is illustrated. The mattress 100 issubstantially a rectangular prism, i.e., it has a generally rectangularprofile in top view, with top face 110 t facing the viewer; left sideface 110 l and right side face 110 r being opposed; and head side face110 h and foot side face 110 f being opposed. Bottom face 110 b opposedto the top face 110 t is not shown in FIG. 1A but is a mirror image oftop face 110 t.

FIG. 1B shows a stylized left side view of the mattress 100. Left sideface 110 l faces the viewer; top face 110 l and bottom face 110 b areopposed; and head side face 110 h and foot side face 110 f are opposed.Right side face 110 r opposed to the left side face 110 l is not shownin FIG. 1B but is a mirror image of left side face 110 l.

FIG. 1C shows a stylized head side view of the mattress 100. Head sideface 110 h faces the viewer; top face 110 l and bottom face 110 b areopposed; and right side face 110 r and left side face 110 l are opposed.Foot side face 110 f opposed to the head side face 110 h is not shown inFIG. 1C but is a mirror image of head side face 110 h.

In some embodiments, the mattress 100 may be conformable such thateither of the two largest faces may be the top face 110 t; either of twoopposed sides may be the left side face 110 l; and either of the othertwo opposed sides may be the head side face 110 h. In other embodiments,the mattress 100 may be configured such that one of the two largestfaces is intended to be the top face 110 t. Alternatively or inaddition, the mattress 100 may be configured such that one of theopposed sides that could be the head or foot side face is intended to bethe head side face 110 h; one of opposed sides that could be the left orright side face is intended to be the left side face 110 l; or both.

FIG. 2A illustrates a stylized side view of a first mattress 200 inaccordance with embodiments herein. The side view shows left side face110 l. In the depicted embodiment, the first mattress 200 comprises asingle viscoelastic foam layer. In other words, the first mattress 200may be considered to consist of a viscoelastic foam layer having anupper foam face and a lower foam face, wherein the upper foam face iscoincident with the top face 110 t of the first mattress 200, and thelower foam face is coincident with the bottom face 110 b of the firstmattress 200.

In the first mattress 200, the pyrethroid is disposed in a first zone221 of the first mattress 200. The first zone 221 consists of a volumeof the body support article having an upper first zonal face 221 t. Inone embodiment, such as that shown in FIG. 2A, the upper first zonalface 221 t is coincident with the top face 110 t of the body supportarticle 100.

Herein, we will use phrases along the lines of “first face coincidentwith second face” to mean that each point of the first face is also apoint of the second face, and vice versa. Referring to this aspect ofthe first mattress 200, each point of the upper first zonal face 221 tis a point of the top face 110 t and vice versa. This phrasing isconsistent with the specialized meaning of “coincident” in geometry andallied disciplines.

The person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that use ofgeometric terms such as “point,” “face,” “coincident,” etc. representsan idealization, and that no real-world process can generate instancesof the first mattress 200 or any portion thereof, or any other mattressdepicted herein (e.g., 100, 300, 400, or 500), that perfectly embody ageometric ideal. For example, we use the term “face” when the term“substantially facial” may be technically more precise, but isunnecessarily wordy and does no better at facilitating understanding ofthe present disclosure. For example, a quilted or tufted top face of amattress or mattress topper is not strictly, in the geometricdefinition, a “face,” but is substantially facial (e.g., approximatelyplanar), and will be referred to as a “face” herein.

In the first mattress 200, the first zone 221 further comprises a lowerfirst zonal face 221 b. The lower first zonal face 221 b may not bevisibly defined, i.e., in a true side view of a real-world instance ofthe first mattress 200, or a cross-section taken by physical slicing thefirst mattress 200 along a plane parallel to the left side face 110 l,the naked eye may not be able to discern the first zone 221 from otherportions of the first mattress 200.

In one embodiment, the lower first zonal face 221 b may be more than0.25 inches (0.64 cm) and less than 6 inches (15 cm) from the upperfirst zonal face 221 t.

In a particular further embodiment, the lower first zonal face 221 b maybe 0.3 inches (0.76 cm) or more from the upper first zonal face 221 t.In another particular further embodiment, the lower first zonal face 221b may be 0.4 inches (1.02 cm) or more from the upper first zonal face221 t. In yet another particular further embodiment, the lower firstzonal face 221 b may be 0.5 inches (1.27 cm) or more from the upperfirst zonal face 221 t. In still another particular further embodiment,the lower first zonal face 221 b may be 0.6 inches (1.52 cm) or morefrom the upper first zonal face 221 t. In still another particularfurther embodiment, the lower first zonal face 221 b may be 0.7 inches(1.78 cm) or more from the upper first zonal face 221 t. In yet anotherparticular further embodiment, the lower first zonal face 221 b may be0.8 inches (2.03 cm) or more from the upper first zonal face 221 t. Instill another particular further embodiment, the lower first zonal face221 b may be 0.9 inches (2.29 cm) or more from the upper first zonalface 221 t. In still another particular further embodiment, the lowerfirst zonal face 221 b may be 1.0 inches (2.54 cm) or more from theupper first zonal face 221 t. In still another particular furtherembodiment, the lower first zonal face 221 b may be 1.25 inches (3.18cm) or more from the upper first zonal face 221 t. In still anotherparticular further embodiment, the lower first zonal face 221 b may be1.5 inches (3.81 cm) or more from the upper first zonal face 221 t. Inan additional particular further embodiment, the lower first zonal face221 b may be 1.75 inches (4.45 cm) or more from the upper first zonalface 221 t. In still an additional particular further embodiment, thelower first zonal face 221 b may be 2 inches (5.08 cm) or more from theupper first zonal face 221 t. In still another particular furtherembodiment, the lower first zonal face 221 b may be 2.5 inches (6.35 cm)or more from the upper first zonal face 221 t. In yet another particularfurther embodiment, the lower first zonal face 221 b may be 3.0 inches(7.62 cm) or more from the upper first zonal face 221 t. In stillanother particular further embodiment, the lower first zonal face 221 bmay be 4.0 inches (10.16 cm) or more from the upper first zonal face 221t. In still another particular further embodiment, the lower first zonalface 221 b may be 5.0 inches (12.7 cm) or more from the upper firstzonal face 221 t.

The above description of the lower zonal face 221 b being a particulardistance or more from the upper zonal face 221 t is compatible with thefirst zone 221 having the shape of a rectangular prism. However, thefirst zone 221 need not be a rectangular prism. In such embodiments, anystated distance between the lower zonal face 221 b and the upper zonalface 221 t is a minimum distance therebetween.

In one embodiment, wherein the pyrethroid is permethrin, the permethrinmay be present in the first zone 221 in a concentration from 1 weightpart per trillion weight parts of the first zone 221 to 1 weight partper thousand weight parts of the first zone 221. The concentration mayvary from point to point within the first zone 221, either throughintra-run variation when forming a particular instance of the firstmattress 200; through limits in the manufacturing technology used toincorporate permethrin into the first zone 221; through intentionalgeneration of a permethrin concentration gradient within the first zone221, e.g. to yield a greater permethrin concentration in proximity tothe top face 110 t and hence to a user of the first mattress 200;through inclusion of a highly concentrated permethrin in aslowly-degradable particle, wherein the degradation of the particlereleases permethrin to yield a steady, lower concentration thereof inthe first zone 221; through differential environmental degradation ofpermethrin during use, e.g., permethrin is susceptible to degradation byoxygen or solar radiation, and as a result, permethrin in proximity to aface 110 of the first mattress 200 may degrade more rapidly thanpermethrin deeper in the interior of the first mattress 200, therebylowering the permethrin concentration in proximity to a face 110relative to the interior; and/or for other reasons known to the personof ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the presentdisclosure.

The person of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of thepresent disclosure may determine optimal subranges for permethrin, andranges, optimal subranges, and concentration variations for otherpyrethroids, as a routine matter.

FIG. 2B shows an alternative embodiment of a mattress 201. The mattress201 and many of its elements generally resemble the first mattress 200and many of its elements described with reference to FIG. 2A. Elementswith like reference numerals between FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, or between anytwo figures herein, will substantially be identical, except for specificfeatures or properties described with reference to a particular figure.

In embodiments such as that shown in FIG. 2B, the first zone 221 may bepositioned such that the upper first zonal face 221 t is not coincidentwith the top face 110 t of the mattress, e.g., mattress 201. In otherwords, the first zone 221 may be positioned in the mattress 201 suchthat the first zone 221 substantially does not come into contact with aperson or a pet reclining on the mattress 201, but still has substantialproximity to the surface to decrease the amount of insects or bedbugsresiding in the mattress 201 and/or traversing the first zone 221 toaccess a person's body for feeding. Preventing contact of the pyrethroidwith a person or pet is especially desirable when the owner of themattress owns a housecat, because pyrethroids are generally highly toxicto cats.

In alternative embodiments, the first zone 221 may continue to the sides110 h, 110 f and/or to the bottom 110 b portions of the mattress 201 ina similar fashion as shown in FIG. 2A or FIG. 2B.

FIG. 3 depicts a stylized side view of a second mattress 300, inaccordance with embodiments herein. Generally, many elements andproperties of the second mattress 300 will be as described aboveregarding comparable elements and properties of the first mattress 200.For the sake of brevity, such comparable elements and properties neednot be described again.

In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3 , the second mattress 300 maycomprise a single viscoelastic foam layer but need not. The precisearrangement of viscoelastic foam layer(s), other foam layer(s), if any,and non-foam layer(s), if any can be effected in the practice of routineskill for the ordinary artisan having the benefit of the presentdisclosure.

Regardless how many viscoelastic foam layers, other foam layers, and/ornon-foam layers may be present in the second mattress 300, the upperzonal face 221 t of the first zone 221 of the second mattress 300 isbelow the top face 110 t of the second mattress 300. The second mattress300 accordingly comprises a pyrethroid-free zone 120 between the topface 110 t of the second mattress 300 and the upper first zonal face 221t of the first zone 221.

For the avoidance of doubt, any layers (e.g., the viscoelastic foamlayer(s), any non-viscoelastic foam layer(s), and any non-foam layer(s))of any mattress 200, 201, 300, 400, or 500, and any zones of themattress may be coincident, but need not be. In other words, the firstzone 221 should not be construed as being coincident with one particularlayer of the mattress. Also, unless a face of the first zone 221 isexpressly identified as being coincident with a face of the mattress,the face in question of the first zone 221 should not be construed asbeing coincident with a boundary between two adjacent layers of themattress.

FIG. 4 depicts a stylized side view of a third mattress 400, inaccordance with embodiments herein. Generally, many elements andproperties of the third mattress 400 will be as described aboveregarding comparable elements and properties of the first mattress 200and/or the second mattress 300. For the sake of brevity, such comparableelements and properties need not be described again.

In the third mattress 400, the mattress comprises multiple layers, e.g.,a viscoelastic foam layer 430 and a second layer 440. In other words,the viscoelastic foam layer 430 has an upper foam face 431 t and a lowerfoam face 431 b, wherein the upper foam face 431 t is coincident withthe top face 110 t of the third mattress 400 and the lower foam face 431b is more than 2 inches (5.08 cm) and less than 8 inches (20.32 cm) fromthe upper foam face. In this embodiment, the viscoelastic foam layer 430may be configured as a mattress topper.

The second layer 440 may comprise a different viscoelastic foam and/orhave different firmness, support, comfort, etc. properties than theviscoelastic foam layer 430. Alternatively, the second layer 440 maycomprise a non-viscoelastic foam or a non-foam. The second layer 440 maybe replaced with a plurality of second layers (not shown) as a routinepractice for the person of ordinary skill in the art having the benefitof the present disclosure.

In the third mattress 400, the volume of the first zone 221 is a subsetof the volume of the viscoelastic foam layer 430, with the upper firstzonal face 221 t being below the top face 110 t, 431 t of theviscoelastic foam layer 430 t and the third mattress 400. In otherwords, the third mattress 400 may contain a viscoelastic foam mattresstopper with anti-bedbug properties. This embodiment may be implementedby manufacturers who wish to differentiate mattresses containing thesame lower layer(s) 440 by providing mattress toppers with differentproperties.

Turning to FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, a fourth mattress 500 is depicted inside view (e.g., left side view) in FIG. 5A and in bottom view in FIG.5B. Generally, many elements and properties of the fourth mattress 500will be as described above regarding comparable elements and propertiesof the first mattress 200, the second mattress 300, and/or the thirdmattress 400. For the sake of brevity, such comparable elements andproperties need not be described again.

The fourth mattress 500 has in common with the mattress 201 of FIG. 2Bthat the first zone 221 contains a partial volume of the mattress inproximity to the top face 110 t. The fourth mattress 500 differs infurther comprising a second zone 522 in which the pyrethroid is furtherdisposed. The second zone 522 comprises a second zonal face. In oneembodiment, every point on the second zonal face may be coincident witha point on one of the bottom face, the left side face, the right sideface, the head side face, and the foot side face. In other words, thesecond zone 522 may, but need not, be exposed on a face of the fourthmattress 500 other than the top face 110 t.

In the depicted embodiment, best seen in FIG. 5B, the second zone 522comprises four second zonal faces, with one face coincident with aportion of the left side face 110 l, another face coincident with aportion of the right side face 110 r, an additional face coincident witha portion of the head side face 110 h, and a further face coincidentwith a portion of the foot side face 110 f. In this embodiment, thepresence of the pyrethroid interdicts bedbug passage in and out of mostof the area of all faces of the fourth mattress 500 proximate to areclining user or to the top face 110 t. The passage of bedbugs in andout of the central region of the bottom face 110 b need not beinterdicted, because bedbugs would either have to traverse the exposedfaces of the second zone 522 and the first zone 221 to reach a userreclining on the top face 110 t of the fourth mattress 500, or burrowthrough the first zone 221 to do so.

In other embodiments, not shown, a face of the second zone 522 may becoincident with the bottom face 110 b of the fourth mattress 500. Inthis embodiment, the pyrethroid interdicts passage of bedbugs in and outof the bottom face 110 b in addition to most of the side faces 1101, 110r, 110 h, and 110 f.

FIG. 8 depicts a fifth mattress 800 in side view (e.g., left side view).Generally, many elements and properties of the fifth mattress 800 willbe as described above regarding comparable elements and properties ofthe first mattress 200, the second mattress 300, the third mattress 400,the fourth mattress 500, and/or mattress 201. For the sake of brevity,such comparable elements and properties need not be described again.

The fifth mattress 800 comprises a plurality of support members 860. Inone embodiment, the support members 860 may be steel springs, foamsprings, plastic springs, gel bodies, or two or more thereof, amongother possibilities. Each of the support members 860 is encased by aencasing member 821. The encasing member 821 may be a viscoelastic foamelement, a non-viscoelastic foam element, a woven element, a non-wovenelement, a plastic element, a gel element, or two or more thereof, amongother possibilities.

In the fifth mattress 800, each of the encasing members 821 may comprisethe pyrethroid. In other words, any of the encasing members 821 is afirst zone, as the term “first zone” is used herein. Any of the otherencasing members 821 is a second zone, as the term “first zone” is usedherein.

The embodiments shown in FIG. 2 -FIG. 5 and FIG. 8 are merely exemplaryof a body support article that may comprise a viscoelastic foam layerand a pyrethroid in accordance with embodiments herein. The person ofordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the present disclosurewill readily be able to combine aspects of two or more of the variousembodiments, unless such aspects are mutually exclusive. The person ofordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the present disclosurecould readily prepare a mattress topper, a pillow, a cushion, or thelike instead of a mattress without moving beyond the spirit and scope ofthe invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, theteachings above regarding a body support article having four side facesapply to a cylindrical cushion, i.e., a cushion that has a top face, anopposed bottom face, and a single side face, such as is commonly usedwith papasan chairs. The person of ordinary skill in the art willunderstand that any quadrant of the circumference of the single sideface is equivalent to one of the left side face 110 l, right side face110 r, head face 110 h, and foot face 110 f.

In alternative embodiments, the concepts disclosed herein regardingincorporating the insecticide, e.g., pyrethroid, into the body supportarticle 100 may be applicable to a variety of types of articles, such asmattresses that contain support members, such as coils, pocket coils,non-woven pocket coils, foam support members, etc. In some embodiments,the support members may be separately treated with an insecticide, e.g.,pyrethroid, prior to being implemented into an article 100, such as amattress 201.

FIG. 6 presents a flowchart of a method 600, in accordance withembodiments herein. The method 600 comprises combining (at 610) at leastone polyol and a pyrethroid, to yield a first zone precursorcomposition.

A polyol is an organic compound containing more than one hydroxylgroups. Any polyol may be used. If multiple polyols are used, anyrelative proportions thereof may be used. Polyols range from very smallmolecules, such as methylene oxide, ethylene oxide, and propylene oxide,to long-chain and or polymeric compounds having molecular weights in thethousands or tens of thousands of daltons (Da).

Other compounds, e.g., emulsifiers or the like, may be combined with thepolyol(s) and the pyrethroid when combining (at 610). Techniques forcombining polyol(s) and the pyrethroid, and other compounds that may bedesirable and techniques for including those, will be apparent to theperson of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the presentdisclosure.

The method 600 also comprises foaming (at 620) the first zone precursorcomposition with at least one isocyanate, to form a first zonecomprising a viscoelastic foam and the pyrethroid.

As is well known, viscoelastic foams may be formed by preparing a firstmixture, typically comprising one or more polyols, followed by foamingthe first mixture with an isocyanate, to yield the viscoelastic foam.

An isocyanate is an organic compound containing a functional group withthe formula R—N═C═O. A diisocyanate is an organic compound comprisingtwo isocyanate functional groups. Exemplary isocyanates that may be usedherein include toluene diisocyanate (TDI), specifically, any of thevarious TDI isomers in various relative proportions, e.g., commonlycommercially available formulations of 80/20 TDI (80 wt % 2,4-TDI and 20wt % 2,6-TDI) and 65/35 TDI (65 wt % 2,4-TDI and 35 wt % 2,6-TDI).

Other compounds, e.g., foaming aids or the like, may be combined withthe first zone precursor composition and the isocyanate(s) when foaming(at 620). Techniques for foaming polyol(s) compositions withisocyanate(s), and other compounds that may be desirable to include andtechniques for including those, will be apparent to the person ofordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the present disclosure.

Specifically, in addition to the polyol(s), the pyrethroid, and theisocyanate(s), the combining (at 610) and/or the foaming (at 620) mayfurther include combining one or more other materials.

In one embodiment, the combining (at 610) and/or the foaming (at 620)may include a cell-opening silicone additive.

Alternatively or in addition, the combining (at 610) and/or the foaming(at 620) may include a surfactant, such as a silicone surfactantformulated for use in a flexible slabstock foam. According to oneembodiment, the surfactant may be Tegostab® B8220 (Evonik Industries,Essen, Germany).

Alternatively or in addition, the combining (at 610) and/or the foaming(at 620) may include a gel-catalyzing amine.

Alternatively or in addition, the combining (at 610) and/or the foaming(at 620) may include a blow-catalyzing amine.

Alternatively or in addition, the combining (at 610) and/or the foaming(at 620) may include stannous octoate.

Alternatively or in addition, the combining (at 610) and/or the foaming(at 620) may include a chain modifier.

Alternatively or in addition, the combining (at 610) and/or the foaming(at 620) may include acetone.

Alternatively or in addition, the combining (at 610) and/or the foaming(at 620) may include water.

The method 600 further comprises forming (at 630) a body support articlecomprising the first zone, wherein the body support article comprises atop face, a bottom face opposed to the top face, a left side face, aright side face opposed to the left side face, a head side face, and afoot side face opposed to the head side face.

Forming (at 620) may comprise one or more actions, depending on operatorpreference and selectable as a routine matter by the person of ordinaryskill in the art having the benefit of the present disclosure. Theperson of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the presentdisclosure is well aware how to make single layer and multi-layer bodysupport articles, wherein one or more layers comprise viscoelastic foam,zero or more layers comprise a non-viscoelastic foam, and zero or morelayers comprise a non-foam material.

The body support article resulting from forming (at 620) may be amattress, a mattress topper, a pillow, or a cushion. In one embodiment,forming (at 620) may yield a mattress 200, 201, 300, 400, or 500.

In embodiments, the method 600 may further comprising forming (at 640) asecond zone comprising a second viscoelastic foam and the pyrethroid,wherein the second zone comprises a second zonal face; wherein forming(at 630) the body support article further comprises including the secondzone in the body support article. In one embodiment, every point on thesecond zonal face may be coincident with a point on one of the bottomface, the left side face, the right side face, the head side face, andthe foot side face. Forming (at 640) the second zone may besubstantially similar to combining (at 610) and foaming (at 620).

Alternatively or in addition, the method 600 may further compriseincluding (at 650) a secondary insecticide in the body support article.Particular secondary insecticides to include, techniques for doing so,locations within the body support article to do so, and other parametersmay be routinely selected by the person of ordinary skill in the arthaving the benefit of the present disclosure.

The method 600 may also comprise additional steps, not shown, to formone or more other layers of the body support article and to bond suchother layers with the first zone.

For the avoidance of doubt, the first zone may be coincident in volumewith a discrete viscoelastic foam layer, but need not be. For example,if multiple polyol-containing streams are foamed under conditions suchthat the foamed streams will form an integrated mass of viscoelasticfoam, then one, some, or all of the streams may consist of the firstzone precursor composition, yielding a unitary viscoelastic foam layercomprising pyrethroid only in a first zone.

Turning now to FIG. 7 , a stylized depiction of a system 700 for forminga body support article comprising a viscoelastic foam layer and apyrethroid, in accordance with embodiments herein, is illustrated. Thesystem 700 of FIG. 7 may comprise a body support article manufacturingsystem 710. The body support article manufacturing system 710 maycomprise various processing stations, such as a mixing station 720, afoaming station 730, a body support article forming station 740, etc.Data may be gathered from any of the foregoing stations or any othercomponent of the body support article manufacturing system 710 and maybe used to modify one or more process parameters used by the variousstations or any other component for performing process steps.

The system 700 may also comprise a processing controller 750. One ormore of the processing steps performed by the body support articlemanufacturing system 710 may be controlled by the processing controller750. The processing controller 750 may be a workstation computer, adesktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, or any othertype of computing device comprising one or more software products thatare capable of controlling processes, receiving process feedback,receiving test results data, performing learning cycle adjustments,performing process adjustments, etc.

In the particular embodiment depicted schematically in FIG. 7 , the bodysupport article manufacturing system 710 may receive one or more polyols721 and a pyrethroid 722 at a mixing station 720. For example, thepolyol(s) 721 and the pyrethroid 722 may be provided as liquids or insolutions via a first piping/pumping system 702 or comparable apparatus.The received polyol(s) 721 and the pyrethroid 722 may be mixed orcombined at mixing station 720, to yield a first zone precursorcomposition, as described above. The mixing station 720 may comprise anyappropriated apparatus known to the person of ordinary skill in the art.

The body support article manufacturing system 710 may foam the firstzone precursor composition with one or more isocyanates to form a firstzone comprising a viscoelastic foam and the pyrethroid, at foamingstation 730. The foaming station 730 may receive the isocyanate(s) 731as liquid(s) or in solution(s) via a second piping/pumping system 703 orcomparable apparatus. The foaming station 730 may comprise anyappropriate apparatus known to the person of ordinary skill in the art.

The body support article manufacturing system 710 may form, at a bodysupport article forming station 730, a body support article comprisingthe first zone, wherein the body support article comprises a top face, abottom face opposed to the top face, a left side face, a right side faceopposed to the left side face, a head side face, and a foot side faceopposed to the head side face. The body support article forming station730 may comprise any appropriate apparatus known to the person ofordinary skill in the art.

The body support article forming station 730 may deliver body supportarticles, e.g., mattress 200, 201, 300, 400, or 500, such as by conveyorbelt 704 or comparable conveyance apparatus, to subsequent processingsteps, including, but not necessarily limited to, curing theviscoelastic foam, other foams, or other non-foam materials; packagingthe body support article, and entering the body support article into thechain of commerce. Such subsequent steps will be apparent to the personof ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the presentdisclosure and need not be described further.

The body support article manufacturing system 710 may further includestations comprising apparatus configured to form a second zonecomprising a second viscoelastic foam and the pyrethroid, wherein thesecond zone comprises a second zonal face; wherein forming the bodysupport article further comprises including the second zone in the bodysupport article; include a secondary insecticide in the body supportarticle; and/or perform other processing actions known to the person ofordinary skill in the art.

The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as thedisclosure may be modified and practiced in different but equivalentmanners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of theteachings herein. For example, the process steps set forth above may beperformed in a different order. Furthermore, no limitations are intendedto the details of construction or design herein shown, other than asdescribed in the claims below. It is, therefore, evident that theparticular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified andall such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of thedisclosure.

Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the claimsbelow.

What is claimed is:
 1. A body support article, wherein the body supportarticle comprises a top face, a bottom face opposed to the top face, aleft side face, a right side face opposed to the left side face, a headside face, and a foot side face opposed to the head side face, the bodysupport article comprising: a viscoelastic foam layer; and a pyrethroid,wherein the pyrethroid is disposed in a first zone of the body supportarticle, wherein the first zone consists of a volume of the body supportarticle having an upper first zonal face.
 2. The body support article ofclaim 1, wherein the pyrethroid is selected from the group consisting ofallethrin; bifenthrin; cyfluthrin; cypermethrin; cyphenothrin;deltamethrin; esfenvalerate; etofenprox; fenpropathrin; fenvalerate;flucythrinate; flumethrin; imiprothrin; λ-cyhalothrin; metofluthrin;permethrin; prallethrin; resmethrin; silafluofen; sumithrin;τ-fluvalinate; tefluthrin; tetramethrin; tralomethrin; andtransfluthrin.
 3. The body support article of claim 1, wherein thepyrethroid is permethrin.
 4. The body support article of claim 3,wherein the permethrin is present in the first zone in a concentrationfrom 1 weight part per trillion weight parts of the first zone to 1weight part per thousand weight parts of the first zone.
 5. The bodysupport article of claim 1, further comprising a support member, andwherein the first zone is coincident with a member encasing the supportmember.
 6. The body support article of claim 1, wherein the first zonefurther comprises a lower first zonal face, wherein the lower firstzonal face is more than 0.25 inches (0.64 cm) and less than 6 inches (15cm) from the upper first zonal face.
 7. The body support article ofclaim 1, wherein the viscoelastic foam layer has an upper foam face,wherein the upper foam face is coincident with the top face of the bodysupport article.
 8. The body support article of claim 7, wherein theviscoelastic foam layer has a lower foam face, wherein the lower foamface is more than 0.25 inches (0.64 cm) and less than 6 inches (15 cm)from the upper foam face.
 9. The body support article of claim 7,wherein the viscoelastic foam layer has a lower foam face, wherein thelower foam face is coincident with the bottom face of the body supportarticle.
 10. The body support article of claim 1, wherein the pyrethroidis further disposed in a second zone of the body support article,wherein the second zone comprises a second zonal face.
 11. The bodysupport article of claim 10, wherein every point on the second zonalface is coincident with a point on one of the bottom face, the left sideface, the right side face, the head side face, and the foot side face.12. The body support article of claim 1, further comprising a secondaryinsecticide.
 13. The body support article of claim 12, wherein thesecondary insecticide is selected from the group consisting of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), chlorfenapyr, imidacloprid, fipronil, indoxacarb,abamectin, hydroprene, benzyl benzoate, ivermectin, antibioticmiticides, carbamate miticides, formamidine miticides, organochlorine,organophosphate miticides, diatomaceous earth, and dicofol.
 14. The bodysupport article of claim 1, wherein the body support article is amattress, a mattress topper, a pillow, or a cushion.
 15. A method,comprising: combining at least one polyol and a pyrethroid, to yield afirst zone precursor composition; foaming the first zone precursorcomposition with at least one isocyanate, to form a first zonecomprising a viscoelastic foam and the pyrethroid, and forming a bodysupport article comprising the first zone, wherein the body supportarticle comprises a top face, a bottom face opposed to the top face, aleft side face, a right side face opposed to the left side face, a headside face, and a foot side face opposed to the head side face.
 16. Themethod of claim 15, wherein the pyrethroid is selected from the groupconsisting of allethrin; bifenthrin; cyfluthrin; cypermethrin;cyphenothrin; deltamethrin; esfenvalerate; etofenprox; fenpropathrin;fenvalerate; flucythrinate; flumethrin; imiprothrin; λ-cyhalothrin;metofluthrin; permethrin; prallethrin; resmethrin; silafluofen;sumithrin; τ-fluvalinate; tefluthrin; tetramethrin; tralomethrin; andtransfluthrin.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the pyrethroid ispermethrin.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the permethrin ispresent in the first zone in a concentration from 1 weight part pertrillion weight parts of the first zone to 1 weight part per thousandweight parts of the first zone.
 19. The method of claim 15, wherein thefirst zone comprises an upper first zonal face.
 20. The method of claim15, further comprising: incorporating a support member into the bodysupport article, and encasing the support member with an encasing membercomprising the first zone.
 21. The method of claim 15, wherein the firstzone further comprises a lower first zonal face, wherein the lower firstzonal face is more than 0.25 inches (0.64 cm) and less than 6 inches (15cm) from the upper first zonal face.
 22. The method of claim 15, furthercomprising: forming a second zone comprising a second viscoelastic foamand the pyrethroid, wherein the second zone comprises a second zonalface; wherein forming the body support article further comprisesincluding the second zone in the body support article.
 23. The method ofclaim 22, wherein the second zone is formed such that every point on thesecond zonal face is coincident with a point on one of the bottom face,the left side face, the right side face, the head side face, and thefoot side face.
 24. The method of claim 15, further comprising includinga secondary insecticide in the body support article.
 25. The method ofclaim 24, wherein the secondary insecticide is selected from the groupconsisting of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), chlorfenapyr, imidacloprid,fipronil, indoxacarb, abamectin, hydroprene, benzyl benzoate,ivermectin, antibiotic miticides, carbamate miticides, formamidinemiticides, organochlorine, organophosphate miticides, diatomaceousearth, and dicofol.
 26. The method of claim 15, wherein the body supportarticle is a mattress, a mattress topper, a pillow, or a cushion.
 27. Asystem, comprising: a processing controller configured to control a bodysupport article manufacturing system; and the body support articlemanufacturing system, wherein the body support article manufacturingsystem is configured to: combine at least one polyol and a pyrethroid,to yield a first zone precursor composition; foam the first zoneprecursor composition with at least one isocyanate, to form a first zonecomprising a viscoelastic foam and the pyrethroid, and form a bodysupport article comprising the first zone, wherein the body supportarticle comprises a top face, a bottom face opposed to the top face, aleft side face, a right side face opposed to the left side face, a headside face, and a foot side face opposed to the head side face.